🍦Last chance for the county fair

Good morning, Columbia. Football technically returns Saturday at 7 PM, when the Ravens host the Eagles at M&T for the preseason opener. None of it counts (the starters play about a quarter) but someone in your group chat will still form a permanent opinion about the third-string quarterback.

In today’s Columbia Scoop:

Let’s get to it.

— Michelle Sinclair

The midway has been spinning out in West Friendship since August 8, and Saturday night it stops. The back half is the good part, too – the contests these kids train for all year are stacked into the last three days. So, squeeze the last bit of fun from the 80th Howard County Fair.

🐮 Thursday and Friday: Future Farmers of America (FFA) Day takes over the Main Exhibition Hall 10 AM–4 PM today, with a honey extraction demo at 11 AM, sheep dog herding at 5 and 7 PM, and the talent and variety show at 7 PM. Friday at 5:45 PM brings the 4-H & FFA Livestock Sale in the Show Pavilion – the year’s actual payoff for the kids who raised the animals, and anyone can watch.

🎡 Saturday: the final day runs the baby contest and miniature parade at 10:30 AM, a garden tractor pull at 11 AM, the 4-H worm race at 1:30 PM, the Red, White & Blue Parade of Horse Breeds at 4 PM, the Parade of Floats down Midway Boulevard at 5 PM, a chainsaw carving auction at 5:45 PM, and the 4-H achievement awards at 6:15 PM.

Gates are open 8 AM–10 PM daily and the rides run until 11 PM, with the midway opening at 2 PM Thursday and Friday and noon Saturday. Admission is $10 for ages 13 and up, $5 for 62 and up, and free for kids 12 and under – cash or card accepted at the main gate, or you can buy tickets ahead online. The fairgrounds are at 2210 Fairgrounds Road in West Friendship, and the full schedule is here.

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t’s round two of our monthly housing checkup, and July had several noteworthy stats.

🏘️ Howard County market report

That $700,000 is the highest monthly median sale price the county has recorded in nearly three years. Buyers do have more to work with – 545 homes were on the market countywide in July, up from 478 a year ago – and 222 listings took a price cut in July, the most of any month in the past year.

Closer to home: Columbia’s median list price is $475,000, and homes there are going in 23 days. Renting instead? The median asking rent is $2,450 in Columbia, $2,965 countywide.

This Howard County market report is published monthly. Above is July data from realtor.com.

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🎈 = family-friendly events

🐮 Laurel Farmer’s Market - Fresh local produce, artisan goods, and community vendors every Thursday through October.

🎈🧊 Teen Night - A glow-themed night at the Lakefront with a DJ, LED mini-golf, air hockey, and food trucks.

🎈👕 Pass the Pants: A KIDS Clothing Swap - Sip, swap, and shop at Manor Hill Brewing’s free kids clothing swap.

🎶 Summer Concert - Air Force Blue Aces - The Air Force’s Blue Aces perform Top 40 hits from folk to R&B at Glen Mar Church. Free.

🎶 The Different Sisters Band - Classic rock, R&B, and jazz on the plaza at Clarksville Commons.

🎶 SUMMER SOUNDS CONCERT SERIES - Strykers Posse Reggae Band at Harper’s Choice Village Center.

🎈💃 Dancin’ Under the People Tree - All-ages dance fitness under the People Tree sculpture at the Lakefront.

🌙⛳ Midnight Mini-Golf - Mini-golf under the stars at Columbia SportsPark. This month’s theme: Hat & Tie. 21+.

🐟 Nite Bite Fishing (All ages) - Evening fishing at Robinson Nature Center. $5.

🎈🎶 Movie Night - Hoppers - An outdoor screening of Hoppers (PG) at the Lakefront — bring a blanket and watch a girl become a robotic beaver.

🎈🎺 Back to School Bash feat. Brass Queens - Carnival games, activities, and a concert by the all-female brass band Brass Queens at the Lakefront. Bring school supply donations.

🎶 Columbia Concert Band Free Summer Concert - Americana, marches, and Broadway medleys under the August sky at Baldwin Common in Savage.

🍽️ A Taste of Puglia on the Adriatic - Chef Alba leads a hands-on cooking class exploring rustic Puglian dishes at Mary’s Land Farm.

🏃 Walk with a Doc - A free community walk led by a healthcare provider, starting with a short health talk. All ages and abilities welcome.

🧠 Breaking the Silence: Real Conversations about Youth Mental Health - A community forum bringing parents and teens together to discuss mental health and break stigma at Slayton House. Free.

🍸 Cocktail Crawl with the Downtown Columbia Partnership - Sip signature cocktails and sample bites at multiple downtown Columbia restaurants. 21+.

🎈☕ Spilling the Tea on B’Yachad OMJS - Meet Columbia Jewish Congregation’s education director over tea, kids’ crafts, and snacks.

🎶 Texas Chainsaw Horns - A 10-piece brass band brings bold energy to The Collective Encore.

🎨 Nature in Two Voices - Watercolors on rice paper meet oversized floral field paintings at Artists Gallery in Ellicott City. Free.

🎨 Red, White or Blue - Work from 28 artists — oil, watercolor, acrylic, and ceramic pottery — at The Meeting House Gallery. Free.

🎈🧊 Public Ice Skating - Daily sessions at the Columbia Ice Rink with rental skates and skating aids.

🎭 Toby’s Dinner Theatre Presents: Mean Girls - A high-energy musical about high school social dynamics over dinner.

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🥛 No sense crying – Maybe there’s no sense crying over spilled milk, but we think it makes some sense to cry over the closing of a milkshake shop. Crazy Mason on Ellicott City’s Main Street will close by the end of the month.

🎨 Support the arts – Tickets to the Howard County Arts Council’s annual celebration (i.e. fundraiser) is set for October 24. This is the organizations main source of private and corporate funding that supports its grant programs. Don’t miss out.

🫂 Help is available – The Howard County Government is giving $260K in emergency funding to the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center after the federal government pulled its funding. With this money, the center can stay open and provide help to those in need.

🌮 Taco ‘bout good food – El Aguila Restaurant, known for its Tex-Mex fare, has a “coming soon” sign hanging up where the old Glory Days was in Ellicott City. This is the third location for the Silver Spring-based restaurant. Opening date is TBA.

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89 🌡️ 70 | 🌤️ | 22% ☔ | 💨 NW 7 mph

84 🌡️ 67 | 🌧️ | 54% ☔ | 💨 N 5 mph

85 🌡️ 67 | 🌧️ | 19% ☔ | 💨 NE 5 mph

87 🌡️ 71 | ⛈️ | 53% ☔ | 💨 S 8 mph

87 🌡️ 68 | ⛈️ | 38% ☔ | 💨 NW 9 mph

🌳🎵= Outdoor concert

Bare Bones | Kirk & Devin | 7–10 PM
Collective Encore | Trial By Fire: Tribute to Journey | 7:30 PM | Tickets
Cured 1821 | Joe DeCara | 6–10 PM
🌳🎵 Merriweather | Thomas Rhett with Kashus Culpepper & Emily Ann Roberts | 7:30 PM | Tickets
The Morgan Inn | TBA | 6–9 PM

Barn & Lodge | Madisun Bailey | 8–11 PM
Bare Bones | Bored Certified | 8 PM–12 AM
Collective Encore | Lamkin3 Entertainment Celebrates the Sounds of Soul and R&B | 8 PM | Tickets
Cured 1821 | Ian Trushiem Trio | 6–11 PM
Kelsey’s Restaurant & Irish Pub | Rod Sebastian | 6–9:30 PM
Looney’s Maple Lawn | My Chemical Bromance | TBA
🌳🎵 Merriweather | The Fray and Dashboard Confessional with Colony House | 7 PM | Tickets
Reckless Shepherd | Kyle Smith | 8:30 PM
Smashing Grapes | Jennifer Schimpf | 8–11 PM
The Morgan Inn | Timmy Mo | 7–10 PM
White Oak Tavern | Alaina Tamash | 8–10 PM

Barn & Lodge | Brandt Dunn | 8–11 PM
Bare Bones | Blue Line | 8 PM–12 AM
Collective Encore | High Noon: A Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd & Southern Rock | 8 PM | Tickets
Cured 1821 | Gene Okonski | 6–11 PM
Kelsey’s Restaurant & Irish Pub | Brendan Pecan | 6–9:30 PM
Looney’s Maple Lawn | The Cover Up | 8 PM
🌳🎵 Merriweather | Zac Brown Band with Old Crow Medicine Show | 7 PM | Tickets
Oversea Distillery | Dan Bregman | 7 PM
Reckless Shepherd | The Grilled Lincolns | 8:30 PM
Smashing Grapes | Ed Willz | 8–11 PM
The Morgan Inn | Homestead, The Band! | 8 PM–12 AM
White Oak Tavern | Tim Morrison | 8–10 PM

Barn & Lodge | Jamie Bishop | 11 AM–2 PM
Collective Encore | Texas Chainsaw Horns | 7 PM | Tickets
Cured 1821 | Aiden Interrante Duo | 5–9 PM
🌳🎵 Manor Hill Brewing | Ron Capurso | 2–5 PM
Smashing Grapes | Kevin Howard | 11 AM–2 PM
The Morgan Inn | The Soul Family Band | 2–5:30 PM
White Oak Tavern | Jazzy Brunch | 11 AM–2 PM

Thanks for reading Columbia Scoop today. If you found something useful, please share it with someone who is doing a whole tailgate for a game that doesn’t count.